How long should a bike last?

[CouchPotato]

I don't know that much about bikes but I'm thinking of getting one.

I'm wondering if anyone can shed any light on how long a bike should last (in mileage terms or length of time I guess). This would help a lot in deciding how much to spend.

Does a $1500 bike last 3x longer than a $500 bike?

[wushudrew]

like anything else you buy, the bike will last as long as youre willing to take care of it.

components, especially moving ones, wear out over time. thats a given. if you maintain them well and replace them when needed, your bike can last a long long while.

that being said, people find that some higher end components dont last as long as their lower end counterparts. less weight and less material can come at the price of durability. bikes like the specialized hardrock (which can be had for less than $500) can last for ages because theyre designed with abuse in mind.

count on your bike lasting for at least 5 years if well-maintained, assuming its from a reputable company and a good shop. there are still riders out there who use bikes they bought 15+ years ago!

[hsd1]

i've had the specialized hardrock for about 4-5 yrs now, still is a beauty havent had to do any maintenance on it

[Ch00bi3]

as long as soemone isn't willing to steal it. if it's a nice bike it could be gone in 1 day, a not so nice bike could last 10 years!!

[jamesbonddd]

as long as soemone isn't willing to steal it. if it's a nice bike it could be gone in 1 day, a not so nice bike could last 10 years!!

That's true. I tried to buy the cheapest good quality bike I could find so if it gets stolen it less painful to replace. I had a $600 specialized hybrid stolen out of my garage. I skipped buying another bike for several years and just recently invest $100 to buy a Mongoose bike from Walmart in the US. Much easier to deal with a $100 loss and I can buy 6 bikes for the same price. I am not doing alot off off road riding either these days. Just using it to commute to work and for cruising with the family.

It is a good idea to know how to make minor adjustments to a bike if you are going the cheap route. The big box stores fire these bikes together so quickly so expect loose nuts and bolts.

[Fraser River Rat]

Even with proper maintenance, you still have to get the right bike for the type of riding you're going use it for. Any bike will last 10 yrs. cruising around on pavement. If you're off roading, trail riding, catching big air or heavy built, then you better get a bike built to take that kind of abuse to last 10 yrs.
http://www.sportchek.ca/sportchek/do/menu?menuId=9

[wushudrew]

i would strongly advise against getting a bike from sportchek. the quality and build of their bikes isnt great by any means, and they dont seem to pay as much attention to customers' bikes as they should.

their special order ironhorse bikes are alright, but i would still go with a bike shop that specializes in bikes.